Artificial arm



F. BURNEY. |R

ARTIFICIAL ARM July 15, 1924. 1501,1308

Filed Oct. 8, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jul 15 19.24:.- 1.501,30 8

. I F. BURNEY, JR

ARTIFICIAL ARM Fiied Oct. a, 1923 2 Sheots$hoet 2 Patented July 15, 1924.

iseisos FRANK BURNEY, JR, OF THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA.

ARTIFICIAL ARM.

Application filed October s, 1923. Serial No. 667,381,.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK BURNEY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Thomasville, in the county of Thomas and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Artificial Arm, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to. artificial arms and more especially to simple and efficient means for fastening the finger portions of a hand in either open or closed position, and for shifting the fingers. to grip or to release an object.

Another object is to provide an improved form of finger construction, each finger being made up of a one-piece body so shaped as to bend at points corresponding with the joints of a finger.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appearas the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of'construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the'scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artificial arm embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44, Fig. 8.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the fore arm portion of the structure, the same being made of a suitable light wood having an elongated recess 2 therein preferably angular in cross sectional contour and provided in one of its side walls with a slot 3 flared outwardly as shown at 4. One end of the fore arm portion 1 is provided with a transverse recess 5 corresponding with the palm portion of a hand. Hingedly connected to the back of the palm portion at the end of the portion 1 is a tapered block constituting a palm portion 6- the back face of which is preferably rounded as shown at 7 while the front and back faces converge along straight lines as shown at 8. Rings 9 or the like are used for connecting the portions 6 to the fore arm portion 1 and similar rings 10 are employed for connecting the portion 6 to the respective fingers 11. Each of these fingers 1sv formed of a heavy flexible tube preferably of rubber, the wall of which is of com siderably thickness. V-shaped incisions 12 are formed in each of the finger portions at these places where the fingers should bend. A cord 13 is extended longitudinally through each finger portion and bridges the incisions or recesses 12, this cord having a button 14 at one end adapted to bear against the free end of the finger portion. The other end of the cord is extended through an opening 15 within the portion 6- and through an opening 17 within the end of the arm portion 1, this opening 17 communicating with the recess 2. One opening 17 is provided for each of the finger and thumb portions of the hand and all of the cords 18 are connected to a flange 18 projecting from one end of a block 19; This block is slidable in the recess 2 and is provided with a transverse opening flared as shown at 20 adapted to. register withthe slot 4. A lever 21 is fulcrumed in the flared portion of the opening 4 and has one end projecting normally beyond the side of portion while the other end has a pin 22 connected to it and seated in the slot 4 and opening 20. The pin 22 is constantly stated in opening 20 and when lever 21 is moved to one position, as indicated by full lines in Figure 3 the block 19 is shoved forward and allows the hand to open. By swinging lever 21 to its opposite position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 the pin 22 will thrust block 19 back in recess2, causing it to pull on cords 13 and the buttons 14 thereby closing together the side walls of the incisions 12 and thus bending the fingers inwardly toward the palm portion 5 so as to cause them to grip any article that might be placed in engagement with them.

It is to be understood that the finger and hand portions of the device can be covered with a glove indicated generally at 24 and any suitable pad, formed of leather or the like and indicated at 25 can be provided on the concave face of the palm portion 5 and upon the inner face of the block 6 as shown in Fig. 4.

The thumb portion of the hand is not mounted on the block 6 as are the finger portions 11 but is extended from one side the fore arm' of the end portion of the fore arm as shown at 26.

' connected to and cooperating with one end of the tore arm portion to provide a palm portion, flexible tubular finger portions hingedly connected to the block and having angular incisions at the joint portions there of, cords extended longitudinally through the fingers and anchored at one end to the outer endsof the fingers, said cords being extended movably through the block and through the end of the fore arm portion, a

block slidable within the fore arm portion to which the cords are connected, and means I, for securing the slidable block in either of two positions.

2. An artificial arm including a hollow fore arm portion, a block hingedly connected to one end thereof and, cooperating with said end to provide a palm portion, flexible rubber tubes constituting finger portions and hingedly connected to the block, cords anchored to the outer ends of the finger portions and'extending longitudinally through said portions, through the block and into the fore arm portion, a block slidable witlr in the fore arm portion to which the cords are connected, and means for shitting the slidable block to either of two positions within the fore arm portion and holding it in either of said positions.

3. An artificial arm including a hollow fore arm portion, a block hingedly connected to one end thereof and cooperating with said end to provide a palm portion, flexible rubber tubes constituting finger portions and hingedly connected to the block, cords anchored to the outer ends of the finger portions and extending longitudinally through said portions, through the block and into the fore arm portion, a block slidable within the fore arm portion to which the cords are connected, and means for shifting the slidable block to and holding it in either of two positions, said means including a lever normally projecting outwardly from the fore arm portion, and a pin extending into the fore arm portion, from the lever,there being an opening in the slot for the reception of the pin and lever.

4. An artificial arm including a tore arm portion, a block hingedly connected thereto and cooperating with one end of the fore arm portion to provide a palm portion, rubber tubes having thick walls hingedly connected to the block and forming finger portions, buttons upon the ends of the tubes,

cords extending from the buttons and through the tubes and into the fore arm portion, said tubes having angular incisions at the joint portions thereof, and means for pulling upon the buttons through the cords to contract the incisions and bend the fingers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BURNEY, J R. Witnesses D. HASTY, W. E. HARVISE. 

